Gearing for instrument dials



LE. ROY W, STAUNTON 'GEARING FOR INSTRUMENT DIALS LEZOY W. 574u/vT0/v INVENTOR- ATTORNEY.

My invention will be more clearly under- I atented May'IQ, 1925. v p I UNITED STATES -PATENT OFFICE.

LE nor w. saturation, or new YORK, N. Y.,' nssrenon T c.- BRANDES, Inc, or new YORK, in 21,41 oonronamron or new YORK.

GEARIN'G non INSTRUMENT nuns Application filed June a, 1924. Serial ivo. 71e,s1s.

To all whom it may concern.- v mounted upon an instrument panel; Fig. 2 is Be it known that I, LE ROY W'. STAUNTON, aside elevation partiallyin cross section a citizen of the United States, residing at showing one method of mounting the verew York, in the county and State of New nier device on the instrument panel at a York, have invented a certain new and usepoint adjacent the instrument dial; Fi s. 3 ful Improvement in a Gearing for Insiruand 4 are views illustrating modified forms ment Dials, of which the following is a specof Vernier attachments for instrument dials ification. constructed in accordance with my inven- My invention relates broadly to gearing tion; and Figs. 5 and 6 illustrate still anand more particularly to an attachment other method of readily attaching the ver- 65 whereby small angular changes in the posinier device upon an instrument panel adjation of a rotatable shaft may be readily secent the instrument dial. V cured. I In the adjustment of electrical circuits it One of the objects of my invention is to is extremely important that the constants provide an attachment for panels adjacent be adjusted to an extremely accurate value. 0 an instrument dial whereby theinstrument The variable factors in an electrical circuit dial secured upon the extremity of a rotatof this character are generally controlled by able: shaft may be moved through minute the rotative movement of a shaft. The angular distances for accurately adjusting shaft ordinarily projectsthrough an'apen' 2c the position of apparatus controlled by the ture in a panel upon which is mounted the shaft. various controls for other parts of the'elec- Anotherobject of my invention is to protrical circuits. A dial is generally-secured vide a device which may be readily mounted at the extremity of. this shaft with a knob upon' an instrument panel adjacent a rosecured to the-dial in such manner that the tatable dial for rotating the dial through dial may be manually rotated by movement 9 small angular distances with self adjusting of the hand of the operator. I win aware means for compensation of unevenness that various constructions of dials have been which may be inherent in any particular r suggested whereby the rotative movement tatable dial. of the shaft may becarried out through Still another object of my invention is to small angular degrees, but such dials have provide a frictional device for attachment to been inherently diflicult and expensive in an instrument panel adjacent a rotatable manufacture. Such dials have required dial operating both as a brake for the dial special tools and molds for'their manufacand avernier rotation device whereby any ture and in order to secure the advantages tendency of the shaft to change'its posiof the improved construction it has been tion under the influence of uneven distribunecessary to discard the well known disk tion in "weight of the apparatus controlled type of dial from instrument panels already by the instrument shaftmay be con'ipensated in use. My invention contemplates an atfor. y tachment for the usual construction of dial.

4 Still another object of the invention is to This device may be readily mounted upon an provide a readily attachable Vernier. device inst ume t. p nel adjacent the dial with a for an instrument dial enabling the dial to frictional contact between a. rotatable wheel be rotated through small angular distances on the attachment and the surface of the by a touch of the fingers whereby a shaft rotative dial whereby the shaft controlled to which the dial may be connected may by the dial may be moved through extreme- '100 be moved through large angular distances 1y small angular distances de' ending upon under control of the dial and through small i the ratio of the diameter of the friction angular distances under control of the wheel and the distancebetween the line of" vernier device. contact of the friction wheel and the stood by reference to the following speciment may be readily secured upon the infication and accompanying drawings in strument panel by adevice operatin upon which: the/principle of a vacuum cup wlrereby Figure 1 is a plan view showing the innormal atmospheric pressure m will maintain 'strument dial and the Vernier attachment the dcvi co in position upon the panel or the l? center of the rotative dial. The attach- I lugs, reference character 1 indicates panel may be drilled or tapped to enable small machine screws or bolts to be passed through the instrument panel to secure the attachment in place.

Referring more particularly to the drawthe instrument panel upon which the device of my invention may be mounted. t The rotatable instrument shaft passes through panel 1 and carries on its extremity the rotatable dial 2 having a hand knob 3. Various constunts of the electrical circuit may be varied by movement of the instrument shaft, by grasping knob 3 with the fingers, such as for example, a variation in inductance, ca-

.pacity or resistance. The rotative movement shaft accuratel '3, the lower sup ment of the shaft when knob 3 is moved by a twist of the fingers is possible throu it relatively large an ular degrees.- In or er to provide means or adjusting the instruin position throu h a range of small angu ar degrees I mount t 10 attachment 4.- on the instrument panel 1.. This attachment may comprise a T shaped standard 5 as represented m Figs. 1, 2 and orting face 6 of which abuts against the sur ace of panel 1 by drillin the panel 1 and passing small bolts 7 an 8 therethrough and securing the same by nuts on one side of the panel. The upper surface 9 of the standard o se'rves use support for a laterally extending resilient member 10 forming at its extremity a bearing 11 for a friction wheel 19.. The frictional surface of wheel 12 contacts with the surface 14 ot the rotatable dial 2 whereby rotative monument is imparted to the instrument shaft. The degree of rotative angular imivcinent imparted to the instrument shut is dependent upon the ratio of the diameter ot' the friction wheel 12 and the distance irnm the center of dial 2 to the line of contzict between the friction wheel 12 and the surface it of dial 2. The laterally extendiug resilient member 10 is formed in a fiat spring strip iortion throughout a part of its lcngthano terminates in a tubular portion adjacent its extremity, forming a beariiig 11 for the friction wheel 12; The end by passing of the spring strip may be secured to the surface 9 of standard 5 or it may be directly secured to ianei l. as represented inFi t I bolts 7 and through the en of the strip which rises at an angle from the aurlzice oi panel .1. with horizontal extensions on each sideot the intermediate angular gzui'ilflllf v i ii i in order to facilitate the attaching of the var: av-device to the instrument panel I may rule avacmnn. cup 15 as re resented in and. is constructed of re ativeiy soft if other resilient material and precz i shaped surface to panel 1 with ness in the surface of the dial.

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a top portion 16 upon which the resilient. strip 10 is secured. Atmospheric pressure will maintain with relation to the panel.

The vernier device is mounted in such mannerthat the friction whccl 12 is readily movable in a vertical direction as represented by dotted lines 17 in Fig. it whereby compensation is secured for any uneven- The device may be adjusted with respect to the center of the dial whcreb the distances between the center of the rial and line of contact of the friction wheel 12 may be selected to accurately adjust the dial through small angular distances. The friction wheel also acts as a brake for the dial 2 preventing it from revolving due to the eccentric mounting of the instrument to be controlled, such an the movable plates of a condenser, thereby insuring a smooth running dial which will remain in a particular position when so adjusted. Should .the dial have a tendency to stick in any given position the friction wheel may be placed against the surface 14 enabling the dial to be pushed over the point of large friction. It will be understood that the-device may be mounted at any point around the dial and that it may be readily attached and used with standard dials alroady provided on the instrument panel.

While I have described my invention iii-certain particular embodiments I desire that it be understood that modifications may be made and. that no limitations upon the in"- vcntion are intended other than those imposed. by the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of theUnited States .is as follows: a I

1; In a dial revolving device the combination of an instrument panel, a rotatable dial mounted adjacent thereto, a resilient.

member, one end of: said member being secured to said panel adjacent said dial and. the other end of said member carrying a rotatable friction wheel adapted to en a e the surface of said dial whereby said ia may .be rotated through small angular distances.

2. In a dial revolving device, the combination of an instrumtnt panel, a rotatable dial mounted adjacent thereto, a readily attachable support adapted to be mounted on said instrument panel adjacent said rotatable dial, a resilient member later-all extending from said support anda friction wheclcarried by the extremity of said resil- LE nor W. sraonron.

the \Cl'Illll device in position i .ient member in engagement with said dial 

